Investing in the future
Raquel Welsh shares a testimony of how the generosity of scholarship donors has made a difference in her life, enabling her to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds and to realize her academic goals. Welsh is a 2007 Religion graduate from Kings Mountain, N.C. She spoke during the Donor-Funded Scholarship Awards Ceremony at Founders’ Hall on the Central campus of Southern Wesleyan University.
God directs and provides
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When Liz began looking at colleges to attend during her senior year of high school, SWU was last on the list. Liz was looking forward to attending a university where she could study journalism on a full scholarship.
“It was only an hour from home and it had all the perks and benefits I was looking for,” Liz said.
About three months before graduating from high school, Liz said God was dealing with her heart about her college plans.
“Through a Wesleyan District revival and a girl from my youth group, God showed me that I was called to be a counselor, and that He wanted me to pursue this calling at Southern Wesleyan University,” Liz said, adding that she visited SWU with her youth group. “I thought the campus was cute because it was small, and everyone seemed really nice.”
“When I realized that SWU was the university God was calling me to, I was petrified to tell my mother,” Liz said. At the time, her mother was unemployed due to her plant closing, and was happy about the prospects of her full scholarship at the other institution. During a revival, Liz got up the courage to tell her mother that God was pointing her in a different direction.
“I was very emotional, and remember telling her that I was scared. She looked at me calmly, and told me that she was so glad this was happening,” Liz said. “She proceeded to tell me that counseling was my gift. So, with that support, we proceeded to fill out financial aid forms.”
Liz then received numerous scholarships from Southern Wesleyan and financial aid from the government.
“This aid covered all except for about $1,500 of a semester’s tuition,” Liz said.
Liz waited until spring semester to start at SWU. In the meantime her mother found a new job and Liz worked as a cashier at a grocery store.
“I saved every penny, and with a really big leap of faith, went to SWU in January of 2006. After that, we were able to continue to pay that small amount to SWU,” Liz said. Her faith and tenacity paid off when she graduated in December 2009 with a Bachelors of Science in Human Services with minors in Youth Ministry and Psychology. Shortly after graduating, Liz found a counseling job in Upstate South Carolina. She hopes one day to help a church overseas start counseling services.
“I could have gotten a Human Services degree at any state university, but SWU is unique. I was able to pick up a minor in Youth Ministry which would have been a rare find anywhere else, especially a state university. I think about if I had stayed with my safe choice, where would I be now? God doesn’t call us to be safe, but willing,” Liz said.